No Regrets
by FenixPhoenix
Summary: As they traveled to Ortion Cavern -each for their own reason- Asch and Tear learn that they have more in common than they originally thought. ::Asch x Tear:: R&R.


**Disclaimer**: I do not own Tales of the Abyss or any of its characters…

**Universe: **In-game. After finding out about the Miasma in Tear's body.

**Author's notes: **This is my second Tales of the Abyss fic! This was requested by**Eucharion**, so I hope you enjoy it! I was surprised that the inspiration for this story came very swiftly, even with this rather odd pairing. More so since my favorite is TearxLuke. Anyhow, please don't forget to **review**! ~Cheers!** 6/29/12** I edited this story, making it purely Asch's POV.

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"_Never regret something that once made you smile.__"_

_-Anonymous-_

"**No Regrets"**

By: FenixPhoenix (Giselle González)

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**One-shot**

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**Asch the bloody** heard about her condition by mere coincidence. The Replica's group was lodged in Belklend when he'd arrived. A headache had prompted him to pay a visit to the Doctor of the town. He'd just opened the door when he heard him.

"How's the pain?" the Doctor asked, eyeing the Yulia descendant critically.

Asch stood very still. He was careful not make a sound that would give his intrusion away. For some reason, he found himself holding his breath, waiting for her answer.

"It's fine," Tear said and Asch could tell right away she was lying.

_She's so much like you, Van, _he thought with a bittersweet sense of loss. Asch couldn't help but wonder what they were talking about to being with. Pain…? Had she contracted some sort of painful disease? Was it something she should be worried about?

The Doctor sighed profoundly. He too must not have believed her. "How much medicine do you have left?"

Asch peered through the opening in the door he'd left and noticed the bitterness in her smile. He'd never seen such a cynic expression from her. As if remembering to keep her emotions masked, she forced her lips to relax again.

"It is wrong to call painkillers a medicine," she stated matter-of-factly. "After all, isn't the purpose of medicine to cure aliments? As it is now, there is no cure for me… only a sense of… release."

The Doctor nodded in acceptance, "I'm sorry. I wish there was more-"

Tear shook her head, putting up a hand to halt his words. "At the rate I'm going I have enough to last me a week."

"Alright," he stood up and moved towards the back of the room. He opened a cabinet, searched for something, then returned with three small bottles. Wordlessly, he gave them to her. Tear took them with a curt nod and stood up after that.

Though he knew he should have hidden, Asch was glued to his place by the doorway. His mind was still trying to digest the information left unsaid between the Doctor and his patient. Was Tear going to… die?

"Asch…?" Tear expressed momentary surprise, but it turned somewhat sour when she asked, "Where you listening?"

The former Fabre deadpanned, "Are you dying, Tear?"

If she was taken aback by his tactfulness, she did not show it. Instead, she nodded slowly; her features completely void of any expression.

"The passage rings have contaminated seventh fonons. My body absorbed too many and now I have miasma inside me," she explained, walking past him. When her back was to him she added, "I think Van may be suffering the same fate."

Asch detected concern in her voice. Though the thought of the man who'd hurt him –who'd betrayed him- dying did not particularly bothered him, Tear's fate did.

"Why don't you let him know if it bothers you so," Asch suggested empathetically, stepping forward, trying to peer at her face without making it too obvious. She wasn't the only one dying. He too knew what a burden it was to feel your doom closing in.

She turned to him, "I…," she lowered her head, long bangs veiling her eyes, "Perhaps I should…but…"

"Then let's go," Asch decided, leading the way out of the laboratory; his headache completely forgotten.

"Wait… what?" Tear caught up with him. "Do you know where Van is?"

Asch nodded, "I heard him and some of the God-Generals were in Ortion Cavern. I was on my way there when I got sidetracked."

Tear seemed satisfied with the vague explanation. "Then you heard about our plan to isolate the miasma?"

Asch shook his head, "I didn't get the chance. You can tell me about it on our way. We need to hurry if we intend to get to Ortion Cavern by the morrow."

"Alright," Tear accepted, following him down the road.

It was only when they were walking past the inn that she hesitated. He could tell she was thinking about her friends, wondering if it was okay to leave without saying anything to them, to _him_ –to the replica.

"You want to tell them?" Asch asked, even though he wasn't thrilled by the idea of journeying with more people –least of all the dreck.

"No. It's better if we go alone," she decided and he was glad.

They arrived at Belklend's port around twenty minutes later and took the last ship sailing for Sheridan. From there they would have to travel by foot through the hard terrain. Asch hoped they would find a good place to camp before the night made it impossible to travel further.

As they sailed across the ocean, Tear laid out their plan to stop the core's vibration, lower the outerlands into the Quiloph and close the Sphiroths' passage rings in order to isolate the miasma and stop the liquefaction of the land. Asch listened attentively, asking a few questions here and there. Tear seemed impressed by his grasp of the subject. He wanted to remind her that he was not the dreck, but bit down the retort. For some reason, he didn't want to direct her thoughts to entwine with his Replica.

After their conversation, they drifted into companionable silence for the rest of the trip. Asch wondered if she was thinking about her death, which led him to ponder upon his own impending demise.

They arrived later that night. Since there was still enough sunlight, they opted to start traveling and camp outside for the night. When the sun retreated, Asch stopped. He knelt on the ground and took out his map, studying their location. Tear glanced at the picture above his shoulder, oblivious to how his body tensed slightly by her proximity. It was a reaction he could not avoid but which he tried his best to conceal.

"I think we did good progress," she said, sounding satisfied.

Asch nodded, folded the map, stood up and –despite a part of him that wished to close the distance with her even more- he stepped away.

"Let's settle camp near the foot of that mountain," he suggested, knowing it was best if they kept their backs protected by the natural wall.

Tear raised no objections. As they were setting their camp, Asch noticed the weather was getting closer. A gush of wind whipped at them, causing Tear to fold her arms. Asch appraised her from the corner of his eyes. This was not good. The nights here were extremely cold and her attire wouldn't exactly keep her warm. Hell, even the fire wouldn't keep them warm for long, since after cooking dinner they would probably have to put it out.

He didn't tell her that, though. Why spoil her time so soon? They would just have to think of something later on.

"I'll cook something," he announced once he got the fire going. It was going to be hard to keep the wind from putting it out.

Tear sat beside him –a bit too close for his comfort- but he didn't say anything. He knew it was a natural reaction as she was most probably trying to draw warmth from both the fire and him. Why didn't that bothered him as much as it should?

"I can chop those for you," she offered, plucking the knife out of his hand before he could protest. She leaned forward onto the rock they were using as a board and began cutting the vegetables into perfect squares.

Asch's eyes inspected his naked hand. Her touch had it tingling weirdly. It was a new sensation, frightful but strangely not unwelcomed.

"Is something wrong?" she asked him, eyeing his hand curiously.

Asch shook his head and continued with his task in silence, pointedly ignoring her question. Once dinner was finished, there was unfortunately nothing that could distract him from looking at her anymore.

"I can take the first watch," he said, hoping she would just go to sleep so that he could think about whatever she was doing to him without her enquiring about his embarrassing thoughts.

There was one thing in particular that was starting to annoy him. Why did the thought of her dying made him sad? He was not angry like when he thought about his own death. It was simply depressing and so very wrong. He didn't like it. He didn't want to think about it and yet, his treacherous mind kept bringing it up!

"Is that expression prompted by the news of my health?" she asked suddenly and Asch's eyebrows rose in surprise.

Had his face betrayed his thoughts?

"I do not care for pity," she said icily.

He smirked and, before he could stop himself, he blurted, "Neither do I."

Tear frowned then realization lit her eyes. She lowered her gaze and smiled that bitter smile, "So… my brother –Van… shortened your life when he created Luke?"

Asch closed his eyes and leaned back onto the rocky wall. What was the point in denying it? Truth was, it was a heavy burden to bear. Perhaps sharing the news with someone may lighten it…

"I don't know how much longer I'll live," he admitted drily, "But I know it won't be long."

He heard her moving around and wondered what she was going to do next. His eyes fluttered opened when she felt her hand atop his; her body brushing against his as she sat beside him.

"I am sorry," Tear said, not with pity, but with empathy.

"It seems we have more in common than just Van teaching us how to cook," Asch tried to make fun of the situation, but his voice was tainted with bitterness.

To his surprise, Tear smiled softly. "So it would seem," she murmured.

For a while, neither spoke, the silence stretching peacefully. Asch would have probably stayed like that all night, had she not broken it with a question that had caught him further unawares.

"If you were to die tomorrow… would you regret anything you've done?" she asked as the wind finally beat out the flames and they were left within the crisp darkness. Just like he knew they would.

He smiled dejectedly. How many times had he asked himself that same question? Did he regret anything he'd done? Perhaps he should have returned home shortly after escaping Van instead of becoming one of his God-Generals. Maybe that way he would still be Luke fon Fabre instead of the ashes of the sacred flame…

"I think it's not that I regret doing something so much as I regret _not_ doing something," he confessed. He turned to her and found her eyes upon him. The eye not covered by her hair had this intense look of reflection and confusion. She inclined her head to the side; it was the sweetest and most innocent gesture he had ever seen. She was totally at a loss and he couldn't blame her.

He was about to expand on what he meant, when he noticed she was actually trembling. She seemed to have been fighting the coldness she felt from showing. Deciding not to over-think what he was about to do –else he lost his courage- he took her by the arm and pulled her towards him. She didn't resist and he trapped her in his arms; his bended legs on each of her sides.

"Asch…" she called softly, producing in him waves of heat that rushed to taint his cheeks. He was just thankful that the night was hiding his embarrassment.

He looked down at her, feeling her hands touching his chest –sending electric shocks to his entire system, quickening both breaths and heartbeats. He knew she felt the change he'd undergone. He knew it because she was blushing too. Was her heart beating as strongly as his? Was she feeling the same powerful warmth sweeping everything aside, all thoughts of death and weather?

"Warmer?" he asked stupidly, his mind not quite working as sharply as it should.

Tear pressed her body to his –probably searching for more warmth. Asch hands, previously resting on her lower back, moved up towards her hair. He ran one hand through her silky locks and smiled when he heard a low purr come past her lips. So she liked it when someone played with her hair? He chuckled softly, gaining her complete attention.

"I've never heard you laugh," she pointed out, moving her own hand to rest at the back of his neck.

She licked her lips. He followed the movement and then forced his eyes to meet hers. Her own eyes jumped from his gaze to his lips and back again. He knew what she wanted because he had been doing the exact same thing. So without hesitation, he dipped his head and brushed his lips softly to hers.

He was about to back off, thinking he might have read her wrong, when he felt her hand pulling him towards her. This time, her lips met his, less softly, more avidly. He parted his lips in invitation and she accepted. His half-lidded eyes dropped completely and he let himself be wrapped by her warmth and the sudden passion kindled by the confession of an unkind doom.

When they parted, he looked intently at her, trying to read her thoughts. He could see the same fear in her that he was harboring. He wondered if the same question was crossing her mind. Was she regretting it?

She spoke first, it was a sound uttered softly and yet it seemed to ring strong amidst the quiet night. "No regrets," she said, leaning towards him; her head resting on the crook of his shoulder and neck.

Asch smiled for the first time in ages. He ran his fingers through her hair and kissed the top of her head softly. "No regrets," he echoed, feeling her body fully relaxing against his.

Tear fell asleep shortly after. Asch, however, did not. Instead, he continued his silent vigil over her, wondering if he would ever hold her again. A flash of the replica –he both despised and envied- flashed before his eyes. Asch couldn't help but muse if she had kissed him because he resembled the damnable dreck.

_No regrets,_ he reminded himself, content to at least share this night with her. Whatever else happened, it didn't mattered.

Tonight they were alive; tonight she was his.

~**FIN~**

**Story Written by: Giselle González**

© Tales of the Abyss is property of Kosuke Fujisjima and is distributed by BANDAI Games Inc.

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:…Other **Tales of The Abyss** stories…:

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**-"The Bet"-**

What kind of bathing suit did Peony get Jade? When challenged to find out, Tear's soldier background impedes her from turning down the bet. ::_Tear _x_ Jade_:: R&R. One-shot_._


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